RetroThinkPad survey #1 of 4

[sarbin]

David Hill's new blog article is up. The survey link is near the bottom.

Let 'er rip!

http://blog.lenovo.com/en/blog/retro-th ... -keyboard/

[MrMaguire]

Re: The question about favourite ThinkPad system. I was surprised that there was no T4x options, so I picked "other".

[bhtooefr]

I ended up going with "Other" and mentioning my X21 in the "why I want a retro ThinkPad" section. (It's not objectively the best, but it's my favorite.)

Re: the keyboard, I've only got a slight preference for 7-row, and it's a shame they didn't offer the OLD 7-row layout (that is, with small Esc and Delete) as an option in the poll. Also, I wasn't aware that they had shortened keyboard travel on the 30 systems (they specifically cited the T430/W530 in the poll) to 2.1 mm, that's a bit crap.

Interesting that they're considering TrackPoint-only. I think that'd be bad for sales, even if it's my actual preference.

[bgx]

the exact link:
http://youropinioncounts.lenovo.com/s/R ... d/survey1/

voted thinkpad 600 (no X40 available - the best ofr me, but really close in term of bezel size/keyboard - and i think it is also similar to the Txx).

i also voted trackpoint only, but if they feel trackpad would sell (much) more, they will put it, and i would not mind.

concerning the .3. serie, it is when they introduced the chicklet. Nice they show the difference between carbon (thiner) and T430. I voted for T430, and didnt mind chicklet or not, as long as it is 7row.

what i said:
-Keyboard layout: Chicklet vs non chicklet is not a real problem, but the layout is. I need home/end/page up/page down in a cluster. I need direct F(unction) keys. I very much want dedicated volume buttons.
-No trackpoint button on the *4* serie. (but you came back to reason on the *5*)!
-Aspect: we do not want big bezel around the screen, we do not want big 'bezel'(?) around the keyboard. If there is space, use it for something. Look at X4x/X6x. Minimal bezel looks great (look at DELL inifinscreen).
-Screen: (goes with the previous): with going to 16/9, you not only reduce the vertical space needed for those who do (coding, content creation, etc) but you also creat empty bezel space. Go to 4:3 or 3:2. 16:10 is acceptable but not best.
- Robustness and servicability. 2 memory channels, at least 1 replaceable/extendable, replacable battery. I keep my thinkpad long

Please participate!

[ajkula66]

While I've said my piece, it comes as quite a surprise to me that the survey hasn't broken 100 comments as of right now...

[Saucey]

Voted for the 600, not much 'classic' ThinkPads to chose from, I couldnt say 700C because I never used one, sadly there were not 7xx options other then the 701C.

Whats interesting about the 600 option was the random message box that came with it.
No other ThinkPad model selection had that box available.

[sarbin]

While I've said my piece, it comes as quite a surprise to me that the survey hasn't broken 100 comments as of right now...

I think most folks are going right to the survey. I seen several places where the blog article wasn't linked at all. Still and all, it'd be nice to have some indication of how many have completed it.

Cheers!

[bgx]

On the first article, if you dont write a comment, u dont give ur opinion.

here, doing the poll is 90% of the job done already. Comments are only a plus, and i can only hope that many did the poll without commenting. Also the poll does not need any kind of authentification, while the comment does.

I am just afraid that if there are many polls, the last ones will not get much people giving their feeling, but hopefully, that's not too bad as the first ones will be the most important.

[Summilux]

While I've said my piece, it comes as quite a surprise to me that the survey hasn't broken 100 comments as of right now...

Not too surprising. We voiced our opinion earlier, we've been heard, now all that remains is to vote. I personally completed the survey directly and didn't feel the need to drop a comment afterwards.

[theterminator93]

Same... did the poll but didn't comment.

[elray]

Interesting that they're considering TrackPoint-only. I think that'd be bad for sales, even if it's my actual preference.

Through the T41(?), the trackpad was non-non-optional. While many systems unfortunately shipped with it, you could order one without, or order a smooth palm-rest without the giant helipad, to replace the default.

Given that a "retro" thinkpad should be a tad thicker - to accommodate doors/covers/panels for user-replaceable parts, and deeper key travel, I don't see why it can't offer a choice of palm-rests.

[brchan]

I am not sure why they gave the option of trackpoint + buttons with touchpad without buttons. For the rare occasion of using a touchpad, not having buttons would be silly.

[bhtooefr]

Not that silly - my primary machine right now has a trackpad without buttons (or, more correctly, it's a clickpad - the whole trackpad is a button) as its only pointing device, and it's the best trackpad I've ever used. (That is, it's good enough that I don't feel the need to break out a mouse ALL the time. It's not actually a good pointing device, but it's good enough. If I had a pointing stick, I'd disable the trackpad.)

[Bibin]

I voted for the X300/X301, and wrote the following:

As an engineering student in my 20s I seek ThinkPads for their keyboards, and respectable design. They're simple and serious, but small design flourishes - the red highlights, the lighter grey keycaps - have a tastefulness that is appreciated by those willing to look; flashy in their own way. For me form follows function, but in my favorite ThinkPads (X32, X301, and T43) there is much to be appreciated in the details of the design.

The X300/X301's design is remarkable. Its keyboard is on par with the X32 as, to me, the best laptop keyboard ever created. Good style is good forever, and doesn't vanish with a passing trend. "Retro" and "old" may be ways to say, "This is no longer the style", and maybe that's true, but what I want, honestly, is an up-to-date X301 with a modern chipset/CPU, and a nice IPS display.

Please make an SSD and IPS display standard. Industry-leading improvements can't be a sideline choice. People see budget-priced bloaty Windows computers with poor displays. No wonder they run off to the Apple machines, for a lack of choice! To be taken seriously as an industry leader, don't accept such a compromise of quality!

Here's what else I put:
-7 Row keyboard {very strong}
-Non-island style {very strong}
-2.5mm travel, X300 style {strong}
-Thinklight {mild}
-Trackpoint buttons + trackpad with buttons {strong} (I'd prefer just trackpoint, but I want them to make something that can be a good machine to me but still have a selling chance for others who don't feel the same way. )

[sarbin]

If anyone is having issues with Captcha, here's an alternate link to the survey:
http://youropinioncounts.lenovo.com/s/R ... urvey1/nc/

Cheers!

[Dante of the Inferno]

Lenovo has posted an update to the blog concerning Survey 1 results:

http://blog.lenovo.com/en/blog/retro-th ... -keyboard/

1. The T60, X220, X300 and the X1 were (unsurprisingly) fan favorites.

2. 4 out of 5 Thinkpadders can't be wrong, 7-row keyboards are superior.

[murak]

Lenovo just announced Thinkpad P50 and P70 mobile workstations and aside from beefy specs there was something that caught my attention; dedicated buttons below the trackpad.

Link: http://www.anandtech.com/show/9503/leno ... xeon-chips

Nice.